Transfer



Patented Apr. 10, 1934 rmsrsa Winthrop Stanley Lawrence, Brooklyn, N.Y., as-

signor to Kaumagraph Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New YorkNo Drawing. Application August 13, 1930, Serial No. 475,123

8 Claims. (01. 41-33) My invention relates to a new and improyed methodof making a transfer medium and a new and improved transfer.

One of the objects of my invention is to make a new and improvedtransfer of the type in whicha transfer marking is impressed upon a thinpaper base.

Another object of my invention is to provide a transfer by means ofwhich a dye can be applied 10 to a fabric.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved transfer forapplying a dye to a fabric in which the use of water in the compositioncan be either wholly or partially eliminated.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved transferwhich shall contain a dye embodied in a vehicle or carrying medium whichcan consist either wholly or partially of an emulsified wax or resin.

Other objects of my invention will be set forth in the followingdescription which illustrates. a preferred embodiment thereof, it beingunderstood that the above general statement of the objects of myinvention is intended merely to' generally explain the same and not tolimit it in any manner.

It has heretofore been customary to make transfers which include a dyeor dyes by using an aqueous solution of the dye. It has also beenproposed to merely incorporate the dyestufi. in a gum arabic'ink whichcould be applied to thefabric, a steaming operation being subsequentlyutilized in order to fix the dyestuff in the fabric.

I have found it possible to utilize a base or carrying medium whichconsists either wholly or partially of an emulsifiable wax. Thecomposition is therefore fusible, an aqueous solution of the dyestuifbeing incorporated into or combined with the wax emulsion. The transfercomposi- 40 tion may be used to make a transfer marking upon thethinpaper base which is ordinarily used. The composition consists of anaqueous suspension or emulsion of a wax or similar substance, the dyebeing dissolved in the water in which the wax is emulsified. Inaddition, the composition can contain a proper peptizing or dispersingagent, such as a soap. This composition can be dried so that the dye isfinely divided or dispersed in the waxy carryingmedium. A suitableimpression can be made by means of the dry composition by applying thesame in fusible form to the thin paper which is customarily used forthis purpose. The transfer marking which is thus produced upon the-papercan be released therefrom by means of heat and pressure in the ordinarymanner so that the wax can be transferred to a fabric or the like, thedye being finely dispersed in the wax. After this waxy composition hasbeen thus transferred to the fabric by means of heat and pressure, thefabric can be steamed in the ordinary manner and the dye is then fixedon the fibre of the fabric. Basic dyes can be employed for decorating ormarking silk and woolen goods and direct dyes can be utilized fordecorating or marking cotton goods. Anovel feature of the composition inthat the dyestufl is first applied to the fabric in a non-aqueous mediumin which the dye is insoluble, the dye being dispersed in said medium,and being subsequently fixed to the fibre of the fabric by means ofsteam. As illustrating the improved compositions which I can utilize,the following is given by way of example and without limiting theinvention to the specific ingredients, proportions,

or steps therein disclosed:

Two parts of stearic acid, twenty-four (24) parts of white Ozokerite,ten (10) parts of canauba wax, and forty (40) parts of paraifin waxresin are melted in a container until the above mentioned constituentsare wholly in liquid form. It is to be understood that the proportionsgiven in this example are by weight.

Ninety-five (95) parts of turpentine or any other suitable volatilesolvent are then added to the mixture of molten substances previouslyspecifled. The solution thus prepared may be designated as solution "A.

A second solution is then made from three parts "6f gum-tragacanth, wellmixed with twenty-five (25) parts/of turpentine to which one hundred andfifty" 150) parts of water are added. Likewise, twoupartsgf/triethanolamine are added. This second solution, which may bedesignated as solution B, is heated to approximately the sametemperature as solution "A".

Then three parts of the dye to be utilized are dissolved in one hundredand fifty (150) parts of water, the water being heated to the sametemperature as solutions A and B. Solution A is mixed with solution B.The mixture is vigorously made so as to emulsify the wax. Likewise,triethanolamine stearate is formed in the combined solutions, and sincethis is a soap, it acts as a protective colloid to keep the wax indispersed or emulsified, condition. The solution of the dye in water isthen added and the mixture is stirred until it is cool. The wax thusremains suspended in finely divided form in an aqueous solution ofgum-tragacanth and dye. This emulsion is a thick creamy mixture whichcan be 11 printed by any suitable means upon the thin paper base whichis ordinarily used for making transfers. The mixture dries upon thepaper, and it can be transferred from the paper to the fabric bypressing with a hot iron in the ordinary manner. Since the dyestufi ispresent in finely divided form, it gives the same appearance as thoughthe fabric had been directly dyed and the marking is then-fixed upon thefabric by means of a steaming operation. The dry mixture may bedesignated as being insoluble in water, although said mixture containssome tragacanth which forms a colloidal suspension in water.

Solutions A and B can be heated to 65 C. which is also the temperatureof the aqueous solution of the dye when the final mixtures are made.

The method'and composition above set forth are very useful in formingdyepatterns on fabrics, since it is possible thereby to produce anonaqueous transfer marking on a paper base, and the marking compositioncan include a dye or dyes. Likewise, the steaming operation can beutilized to form a marking of any desired appearance. The Wax is softand flexible so that the marking on the fabric does not have a harshappearance.

I believe that the wax is re-emulsified by the steam and that the dyegoes into solution in the moisture which is absorbed by the fabric, sothat the pattern or marking on the fabric is very fast. Thegum-tragacanth prevents the dye from spreading into the fabric, and itis desirable to prevent this spreading, as otherwise the marking on thefabric would be blurred. Other substances could be used for replacingthegumtragacanth, such as gum karaya or gum arabic.

Likewise, the aqueous solution of the dyestuif could be directly printedupon the paper base of the transfer, and the wax powder could be dustedupon the moist impression or marking thus made on the paper base, so asto adhere to said moist marking, without adhering to the rest of thesaid paper base. By fusing the wax powder upon the marking, it istherefore possible to produce the transfer by another method.

Instead of using a waxy medium for carrying the dyestuif in finelydivided form, a resinous substance could be wholly or partiallyutilized, as the principle of operation would be the same. The onlyfunction of the stearate soap in the final mixture is to act as apeptizing agent for the wax, resinous, or other medium which isinsoluble in water. However, if basic dyes are utilized, the stearicacid should be in excess, as otherwise the color of the dyestuifsolution is affected.

In general I prefer to utilize either a neutral or a slightly acidsolution.

The advantage of eliminating the use of watersoluble substances is thatsuch substances become hydroscopic in humid weather. As illustratinganother method of operation, the dyestuff could be suspended in theemulsion previously specified, and the water could be evaporated beforeprinting on the paper base of the transfer or upon the fabric. That is,the printing operation could be performed by using the precipitated dyein a waxy or resinous medium which is either wholly or partially freefrom-water. The protective colloid such as a soap or the like, couldalso be utilized.

Whenever a waxy base for the dye is specified, either in the descriptionor the claims, it is to be understood that a resinous base is equivalentto the waxy base.

I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention but it is clear thatnumerous changes and omissions can be made without departing from itsspirit.

I claim: 1

1. A method of forming a transfer which consists in forming an emulsionof fusible material in water, said water also having a dyestufi insolution, permitting the emulsion to dry and forming a marking by meansof the dried emulsion on a paper base.

2. A transfer method of applying a dye to a material, which consists inapplying to said material a dry fusible composition which is insolublein water and which contains said dye, said fusible composition being soapplied by means of heat and pressure, and then separating the dye fromsaid fusible composition and fixing said dye in the material by means ofsteam.

3. A transfer method of applying a dye to a dry material which consistsin applying to said material a fusible base which is insoluble in waterand in which said dye is finely dispersed, said fusible base being soapplied by means of heat and pressure, and then separating said dye fromsaid fusible composition by means of steam.

4. A method of applying a dye to a material which consists intransferring to the fabric a fusible base which contains a peptizingagent, and in which base the dye is finely dispersed, said base being soapplied by means of heat and pressure, and then emulsifying the base andreleasing the dye therefrom by means of steam.

5. An improved transfer comprising a paper base having a markingthereon, said marking being formed with a fusible composition which isinsoluble in water and which can be transferred by means of dry heat,said fusible composition being dry and containing a dyestuif in finelydivided form, said'composition containing a sub- .tance which isattacked by steam so that the composition is disintegrated under theaction of steam to release the dye therefrom.

6. An improved transfer comprising a paper base having a markingthereon, said marking being formed with a fusible composition which canbe transferred by means of dry heat, said fusible composition being dryand containing a dyestuif in finely divided form, said compositioncontaining a substance which is attacked by steam so that thecomposition is disintegrated under the action of steam so as to releasethe dye therefrom, the major part of said composition being insoluble inwater.

7. An improved transfer comprisinga paper basehaving a'marking thereon,said marking being formed with a fusible composition which can betransferredby means of dry heat, said fusible composition containing adyestuff in finely divided form, said composition being disintegrableunder the action of steam so as to release the dye therefrom, saidcomposition also containing a peptizing agent.

8. An improved transfer comprising a paper base having a markingthereon, said marking being formed with a fusible composition whichcontains a dyestuff in finely divided form, said com position beingfusible under the action of dry heat, said composition also containing agum, the'majon part of said composition being insoluble in water, saidcomposition being capable of being broken up by steam so as to releasethe dye therefrom.

WINTI'IROP STANLEY LAWRENCE.

